The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy this offseason. While they may have lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets, they addressed their frontcourt issues by signing Deandre Ayton and replaced Finney-Smith with Jake LaRavia.
The Lakers may not be done adding more help. They could add more players who may help them, but they could also add more players with championship experience. They've done this before, and it has worked out, like when they added Rajon Rondo to their title team in 2019.
LeBron James is the only NBA champion on the roster, but they have players who have played in the NBA Finals, including Ayton, Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent, all of whom played in the final round in a timespan from 2021 to 2024.
One NBA champion who is a free agent is Gary Payton II, who won a title with the Golden State Warriors in 2022. ClutchPoints' Anthony Irwin reported that the Lakers have their eyes on Payton.
"There were some whispers connecting Gary Payton II to the Lakers even before he signed with Bill Duffy," Irwin wrote. "I can safely say he's very much on the Lakers' radar."
There were some whispers connecting Gary Payton II to the Lakers even before he signed with Bill Duffy. I can safely say he's very much on the Lakers' radar.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) July 18, 2025
Payton averaged 6.5 points, three rebounds, and 0.8 blocks a game, shooting 57.4% from the field and 32.6% from three. He has spent four and a half of the last five seasons with the Warriors (he signed with Portland in 2022 but was traded back to Golden State midseason in 2023).
Payton played for the Lakers during the 2017-18 season, playing 11 games in total before he joined Washington the following season.
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